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Sep 9, 2003
Chapter gone, but brothers remain
I would like to clarify what happened to the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity over the summer to end the speculation posed by anyone who seems to think they know what happened. My chapter wasn't kicked off the campus because someone died. We weren't kicked off because of drugs or abuse. We were kicked off for being males between the ages of 18 and 22.
When I first took my position as Pi Kappa Phi's university chapter president for the 2003-2004 school year, I knew there were going to be some difficult times ahead. We were under a "Remedial Action Policy" set up by the PKP national organization - this set of terms was to be followed if my chapter wanted to exist. We were placed under this policy for violations of risk management in the fall 2002 semester. These terms were established midway through the spring 2003 semester and were to last until January 2004.
In conjunction with this action, my brothers and I had to individually tell our nationals how we were going to make our house better and succeed on and off the campus. We did this, and nationals and university Greek life agreed that we were on the "road to recovery."
About two weeks before the spring semester ended, we elected the new executive council and I became president. The brothers and I thought things were going to be different. We had a new mindset, and with school almost out we were planning for the new year.
In mid-June, however, our thoughts changed. I received a letter from our national organization, bringing all the same allegations (double jeopardy?!) against us. They now said we faced charter revokation. I planned for weeks with brothers, alumni and advisers, to prepare responses to their allegations. I had to "meet" (via a telephone conference) with a group of people from a national council for a trial - myself against four men who I had never met. I refuted each allegation, all the while feeling they were just "brushing me off" and not really paying much attention. The trial lasted over an hour but felt like an eternity.
About a week went by, and I was informed by voicemail on my cell phone (very professional) that our charter would be revoked on Aug. 1. As of that date, 33 brothers had to find new housing - and as all students at the university know - that isn't easy in March, let alone in August. We found housing, however, and we are still brothers to each other.
The university chapter of Pi Kappa Phi may be over when it comes to Greek Week or Homecoming or living at No. 8 Fraternity Drive, but there are more than 60 people here who know it isn't over. Everyone who has ever pledged a fraternity or a sorority shares that same feeling.
It's nice knowing you have so many friends here and that there are so many of your chapters all over the country. When you're 37 years old and in some random airport, you might see someone with your letters and be able to shake his hand using your national handshake, but we all know it's really about the people with whom you went through it all.
For The Diamondback to say in its editorial ("Lite Fare," Sept. 2), "We care about Pi Kapp's former members and want to make sure they have a place to throw their keg parties, even if they can't call each other brother anymore," only goes to show the writer of that editorial doesn't know the meaning of "brother."
I would like to end my response to the article with some advice to everyone still in Greek life: Have fun, because it can happen to you, too. What we experienced is what happens even when you follow the rules. Follow your friends. You will have more fun along the way and no one can revoke your "brotherhood."
Rob Zeiger was the president of Pi Kappa Phi. He can be reached at
zeiger@wam.umd.edu.
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